Paragraph 139: The New Rural Planning Policy?
What is Paragraph 139?
Paragraph 139 (previously Paragraph 134) has a growing role to play in supporting new sustainable homes within the countryside. As architects with specialist experience in rural architecture, we are looking into how this piece of policy can tip the planning balance in your favour to help gain planning permission on your dream home.
Studio Bark has built up a reputation over the past decade as experts in Paragraph 84 (previously 55, 79 and 80), the country house exemption clause. Over the years we have seen many shifts in the policy landscape, with regard to innovation, isolation, and environmental design. These shifts have meant many sites are no longer being considered under Paragraph 84 and are left in a ‘no man’s land’ policy-wise.
As a practice, we have sought to address this policy gap, asking ourselves the question: how can we find more routes to planning for clients who share our passion for sustainable, sensitive architecture? This is where we turned to Paragraph 139 - the new rural planning policy.
Paragraph 84
In 2018, Studio Bark began an analysis of countrywide Paragraph 84 applications (previously Paragraph 80). This has culminated into the most comprehensive publicly available online database on the policy, which is used as an invaluable resource for clients, architects and planners alike.
Find out more about Studio Bark’s insights into Paragraph 84.
Paragraph 139
Building on our rural policy expertise, we have now begun the same process with Paragraph 139 applications (previously Paragraph 134), and have contacted all of England’s Local Planning Authorities to ask for any previous applications relevant to the policy. At this stage, our own research on planning and appeal decisions has helped us to understand the use of Paragraph 139, and has informed the points explored in the report.
You can find our working collection of relevant past cases and our resultant understanding of the Paragraph 139 policy tests in our Paragraph 139 report at the link below.
